1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for use in cleaning objects using a fluid-based solution. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing a stream of water through the use of a filtering nozzle assembly that can be attached to a faucet.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the area of personal care, as well as in many other areas including, but not limited to, the cleaning of small parts, the ability to provide and to maneuver a small jet of water is desirable. This ability to maneuver a small jet, or stream, of water generally enables the water to be accurately directed at a specific location. By way of example, a small, maneuverable jet of water may be readily directed at a specific target area, thereby enabling the target area to receive the water without wetting surrounding areas.
A maneuverable jet of water is the particularly useful in the area of personal care, e.g., as it pertains to dental hygiene. While personal care products which provide maneuverable jets of water are available, these products typically involve the use or either, or both, electricity and an associated mechanism arranged to pump water. One personal care product intended for dental use is the Water Pik.RTM. Personal Dental System, which is a dental appliance that is available commercially from Teledyne Water Pik of Fort Collins, Colo. The Water Pik.RTM. Personal Dental System is designed to enable a user to direct a jet of water at his or her teeth in order to dislodge any food particles which may have become lodged around or between his or her teeth. In order to use a Water Pik.RTM. Personal Dental System, or a similar system, a user is required add water to a reservoir, which is a part of the system, then provide power, i.e., electricity, to the system in order to activate a pump which pumps water from the reservoir through a hand-held nozzle mechanism. A stream of water is then discharged through the hand-held nozzle mechanism.
While a system such as the Water Pik.RTM. Personal Dental System provides a stream of water which a user can maneuver, the use such a system typically involves a large amount of set-up time and effort in order to ready the system for use. Among other set-up tasks, a user must locate an electrical outlet which may be used to power the system. The fact that an electrical outlet must be present in order for the system to be used serves to reduce the portability of the system, thereby limiting the use of the system.
Further, the user must transfer water to the system reservoir from a water source, e.g., a faucet. As the water in the reservoir is used, i.e., as the water in the reservoir empties, the user must add more water to the reservoir in order to continue using the system. Having a supply of water which must repeatedly be replenished increases the overall set-up time, and maintenance time, required to prepare the system for use.
Adjusting the temperature of water used in a system such as the Water Pik.RTM. Personal Dental System is also time-consuming. Such a system typically does not provide either a heating mechanism or a cooling mechanism which may be used to vary the temperature of water that is through a hand-held nozzle mechanism of the system. In other words, the system does not provide a user with the ability to vary the temperature of the water in the system. The temperature of water discharged through the hand-held nozzle mechanism is dependent upon the temperature of the water in the system reservoir. Typically, the temperature of the water discharged from the nozzle mechanism is approximately the same as the temperature of the water in the system reservoir. Due to the inability to vary the temperature of the water, it follows that if a user discovers that the temperature of the water in the system reservoir is unsatisfactory, e.g, too hot, in order to correct the situation, the user must either add water of a different temperature to the system reservoir to change the overall temperature of the water in the system reservoir, completely purge and replace the water in the reservoir, or wait until enough time elapses for the water in the system reservoir to be sufficiently cooled. Clearly, the process of achieving a satisfactory water temperature often proves to be rather inefficient.
Since most systems like the Water Pik.RTM. Personal Dental System include a pump, some fluids, e.g., salt water, may not be used in the systems due to reliability issues with the pump. Additionally, particulate matter that may be present in water or any other fluid made cause the pump to wear out or otherwise malfunction.
In addition to being useful in the area of personal hygiene, a maneuverable jet of water is also useful in applications involving the cleaning of small tools, as for example jewelry making tools, and small parts, as for example the delicate parts used in making watches. Being able to control a small jet of water provides a user with the ability to clean small tools and parts with some measure of precision. Small, maneuverable jets of water are also typically used in laboratory applications and horticultural applications, as well as many other applications. However, as small, maneuverable jets of water are typically generated by electrical appliances, the use of the small, maneuverable jets of water is somewhat limited in that they may only be used in the proximity of a power source.
In view of the foregoing, there are desired improved methods and apparatus for use in efficiently producing a maneuverable stream of water without requiring a power source or an associated mechanism for pumping water.